Chapter 60:
We walk through houses hung up in trees. 3PO in a throne for himself. I still think it's pretty funny. how they think 3PO is a god. Han, Luke, Chewy, and even R2 are on sticks. I follow the Ewoks and I try to be as calm as possible, which is hardly possible.
They set 3PO down and I stand next to him as I watch the Ewoks handle Han, Luke, and Chewy. Luke looks at me with a hint of a call for help in his eye. I give back an apologetic look, showing I can't do anything. I look to R2, who is tied next to us.
The Ewoks start getting a bit louder and one comes up to 3PO. He has Luke's saber in his hand, clueless to what it is. 3PO starts to talk to the Ewok in the language and it says something back.
"What did he say?" Han asks sternly.
"Apparently, you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor," 3PO replies. I hold back my throw up. Ew, I don't want to eat Han! They start to pack the logs for Han's fire. They start banging drums and I look at where I saw a figure emerge. Is that?
Leia!
"Leia," I hiss. She looks at me and a smile grows. I look to Han and Luke. She does too and her smiles disappears. She starts to make her way through but the Ewoks point their spears at her.
"Your royal highness," 3PO says.
"But these are my friends," Leia persists. "3PO, tell them they have to be set free." I'm about to open my mouth and say that it won't work. Chewy starts to whimper and 3PO starts to speak in the funny language again. Oh, if only I took on languages as quickly as Anakin did.
Instead of the Ewoks listening, they kept going. I knew it wouldn't work.
"3PO, tell them if they don't do as you ask, you'll become angry and use your magic," Luke suggests.
"But, Master Luke, what magic?" 3PO asks.
"Just do it," Luke commands. I look at him as 3PO speaks again. What's he got up his sleeve? It seems the Ewoks took this a bit more seriously, or in disbelief. They keep working. I start to get scared. I'll get to see my sin die right before my eyes, then I'll be forced to eat him. Oh something please stop this! I don't even know who or what to focus on now. My mind's in a blunder.
All of a sudden, I see 3PO rise in the corner of my eye. I look to him and I see him rise into the air as he panics to himself. Great thinking Luke. The Ewoks take a serious affect to this. They immediately start to untie Luke and Han. 3PO lands where he was, still scared from what just happened. Leia rushes to Han and kisses him. I run to them and I almost tumble down Leia. Luke runs to us and he hugs me first.
"Thanks 3PO," Luke calls.
A while passes and I sit here on one of the bridges. I look out at the dim bottom of the forest. I hear someone come close to me. "I know you're there Luke," I sigh.
"How?"
"The force is a mysterious thing. It's powers can allow a Jedi to do almost anything," I say as he sits next to me. I look to him. "You have your father's looks. My eyes just complete it." I smile to him.
"Can you please tell me your story now?"
I guess it's now or never. I sigh. I look to my hands. "The first rule to being a Jedi: never fall in love. I broke it," I start and I put my fist over my ring. "How silly of me."
"Start from the beginning, please," Luke says calmly.
"I met Anakin when I was maybe... nine or eleven. He was such a nice young boy. Kind, gentle... innocent. He was favored, much like me. He was trained by Obi-Wan, or as you know as Ben. He didn't see me for ten years, then he came back. He and I were told to look over a Senator, a kind woman with strong instincts. We went to Naboo, her home planet. That was when Obi-Wan told me to stop. I knew what he was talking about, but I acted as if I didn't. Anakin blurred me from my own mind, and he still does. I can feel when he's close." I take a breath. "He and I first kissed there. Before I knew it, I was spiraling down. Falling deeper and deeper in love with him, and I know I wasn't supposed to, but it was hard. Anakin had these dreams. Dreams that sometimes told the future. One led him to having us travel to Tatooine and save his mother... There, he was unsuccessful. I saw a bad side to him that day. One that frightened me. But it didn't scare me off." I look out into the darkness again. "After a battle, he and I were married. Secretly, because we knew we weren't allowed to. But we honestly didn't care. I sound selfish, I know."
"No, you don't," Luke comforts. "Please continue."
"I found out I was pregnant about three years later. No one knew about Anakin and I. I have the same ring." I pull out the ring around my neck. Luke analyzes it and find a way to continue. "Anakin was confused. He befriended the chancellor. That slimy monster. That chancellor turned out to be the Emperor. We didn't know at the time, but he used me to get into Anakin's head, twisting every word the council said to Anakin."
"How did he use you?"
"Anakin had a dream of me dying. He-he went crazy in finding a way to prevent me from dying. The Emperor used that dream against Anakin. After an attempt to arrest the chancellor, something went terribly wrong. Order 66 was put into use. Back then, the clones were on our side, until that order was sent out. The order was to terminate every Jedi. And, me, being a Jedi, I was targeted." I start to tear up at the painful memory. "I was talking to Padme, the senator, and she asked for my lightsaber." I start to choke up. "They mistook me for her... They killed her right in front of me. 'You are the best friend anyone can have,' were her last words. Only I was present at her murder." I feel two tears drip down my cheek. Luke leans on me in comfort. "Anakin came and told me he was going to be on Mustafar. Then Obi-Wan came after he left and asked where Anakin was. Then... he told me that... Anakin had turned to the Dark Side. I couldn't believe it. I had to see for myself. I flew off to Mustafar, and I met with Anakin there. I saw that Obi-Wan was right and... then Anakin was startled that Obi-Wan had snuck in and came with me unknowing." I rub my neck. "Anakin thought I had brought Obi-Wan there to kill him. He started to use his force abilities against me. To save you, Leia, and me, I had to... fake my death.."
"I never would've expected," Luke sighs.
"I know. And now Anakin knows I'm alive. After so many years of me hiding from his radar. He's hunting for me, no matter the cost."
"Are you saying that you're going to go to him?"
"I'm not even sure," I sigh. "I miss him... I just want him back. How we used to be," I wipe away the streaming tears. All Luke does is hug me tightly. "I'm going to go sleep. I think I really need it." I stand up and walk down the bridges and ramps. I might just test my saber skills once more.
